The planned pedestrianisation of one lane of Trent Bridge will not go ahead until repair work on Clifton Bridge is closer to completion.
The plan is to close one lane of Trent Bridge - heading in to the city - to traffic, in a bid to encourage cycling.
Funding for the project was approved as part of the Government’s Emergency Active Travel Fund, which aims to increase cycling and walking while public transport is affected by the coronavirus crisis.
Because it crosses from Nottingham into Nottinghamshire, the bridge is the joint responsibility of the city and county council, meaning they have to work together on the plan.
But council bosses on both sides of the river have now said the closure will not go ahead until more of Clifton Bridge is re-opened to traffic.
Back in February, it was discovered emergency repair work was needed on Clifton Bridge.
The partial closure at the time caused huge pressure on the six-lane Trent Bridge, with sat-nav company TomTom saying Nottingham temporarily became the ‘most congested city in the world’.
Now, highways bosses have said although the Government funding is in place, the partial pedestrianisation won’t go ahead until at least one more lane of Clifton Bridge is back open to traffic.
Councillor Adele Williams is Nottingham City Council’s portfolio holder for transport, and represents the Sherwood ward for Labour.
She said: “Last month we received funding from the Government’s emergency active travel fund to introduce measures to encourage people to walk and cycle, to reduce the demand on our roads.
“We are exploring an option to reallocate one lane on Trent Bridge to create a safer space for pedestrians and cyclists, but any scheme would be dependent on another lane reopening on Clifton Bridge.
“We’ll be working closely with Nottinghamshire County Council on any proposals.”
Gary Wood, Nottinghamshire County Council’s group manager for highways and transport, said: “We are currently in discussions with Nottingham City Council over this matter and the county council has concerns about making any changes on Trent Bridge at present with the ongoing works on Clifton Bridge.
“We are meeting regularly with Highways England to push for the opening of more lanes on Clifton Bridge and until that is in place we would not be recommending any changes on Trent Bridge.
“Should the capacity on Clifton Bridge improve, we will then carefully and jointly consider with the city, any proposed changes to lanes and priority on Trent Bridge.”
